Cigarette vending machine with book match accumulation control



Aug. 18, 1964 A. w. HOLSTEIN ETAL 3,144,959

CIGARETTE VENDING MACHINE WITH BOOK MATCH ACCUMULATION CONTROL 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 9, 1962 Aug. 18, 1964 A. w. HOLSTEIN ETAL CIGARETTE VENDING MACHINE WITH BOOK MATCH ACCUMULATION CONTROL 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 9, 1962 Aug. 18, 1964 A. w. HOLSTEIN ETAL 3,144,959

CIGARETTE VENDING MACHINE WITH BOOK MATCH ACCUMULATION CONTROL 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 9, 1962 Aug. 18, 1964 A. w. HOLSTEIN ETAL CIGARETTE VENDING MACHINE WITH soox MATCH ACCUMULATION CONTROL 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 9, 1962 Aug. 18, 1964 A. w. HOLSTEIN ETAL 3,144,959

CIGARETTE VENDING MACHINE WITH BOOK MATCH ACCUMULATION CONTROL 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 9, 1962 United States Patent Ofiice 3,144,959 Patented Aug. 18, 1964 3,144,959 CIGARETTE VENDING MACHINE WKTH BOOK MATCH ACCUMULATIGN CDNTROL Alvin W. Holstein, Brentwood, and Leonard A. Fichen, St. Louis County, M0,, asslgnors, by mesne assignments, to Universal Match Corporation, Ferguson, Mo., a corporation oft Delaware Filed May 9, W62, Ser. No. 1%,510 4 Claims. (til. 221-43) This invention relates to vending machines, and more particularly to a book match accumulation control for a cigarette vending machine.

It will be understood that many cigarette vending machines have a book match dispenser incorporated therein for dispensing a book of matches with each purchase of a pack of cigarettes. Generally, in such machines, a book of matches is automatically dispensed from a supply to the delivery pan of the vending machine upon each operation by a purchaser to obtain a pack of cigarettes. If purchasers have no need for book matches, as frequently occurs, they simply leave the books of matches in the pan of the machine. After a time, in some instances, a considerable number of books of matches will accumulate in the pan. These remain in the pan until the serviceman arrives to service the machine (i.e., to replenish the supply of cigarettes), and he then clears the books from the pan and usually throws them away. This entails considerable waste of books of matches. Also, in some instances, the accumulation of books of matches will clog the machine and put it out of operation. One approach to solving this problem has been to provide a book match dispenser which requires an extra manual operation by a purchaser to dispense a book of matches, the book match dispenser being conditioned for such operation by deposit of coin and operation to obtain a pack of cigarettes. However, even this has not been completely successful in that purchasers who do want book matches are frequently at a loss as to how to obtain the book matches, even though instructions may appear on the machine.

Accordingly, among the several objects of this invention may be noted the provision of a control for the book match dispenser of a cigarette vending machine which eliminates waste of book matches and the possibility of such an accumulation of book matches as would clog the machine, while furnishing book matches to purchasers who want book matches without requiring any extra manual operation; the provision of such a control which functions in response to an accumulation of a number of books in the pan of the machine to effect discontinuation of the operation of the book match dispenser, operation of the latter being resumed upon removal of the accumu lation; and the provision of a control such as described which is relatively inexpensive to provide and reliable in operation. Gther objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated,

.FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of the internal structure of a cigarette vending machine equipped with a book match dispenser and a control of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragment of the left side of FIG. 1 as viewed on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but with the book match column assembly removed, and showing a moved position of parts in relation of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are enlarged horizontal sections taken on lines 44 and 5-5, respectively of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a rear elevation of part of the book match column assembly per se, showing certain other parts in phantom;

FIG. 7 is a vertical section taken on line 77 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing a moved position of parts; and

FIG. 9 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 4, parts being omitted.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawmgs.

Referring to the drawings, there is indicated at 21 the cigarette pack dispensing apparatus of a cigarette vending machine and at D a book match dispenser adjunct of the cigarette pack dispensing apparatus. As shown herein, the cigarette pack dispensing apparatus is the same as that shown in the copending coassigned application of Alvin W. Holstein, Robert N. Cox and Leonard A. Pickett, Serial No. 101,466, filed April '7, 1961, issued as U.S. Patent 3,128,908, April 14, 1964, entitled Dispenser for a Vending Machine. Appearing in FIGS. l-4 of this application are the left side wall 23 of apparatus 21, and a number of the cigarette pack ejectors or pull-out rods FE and RE of apparatus 21. Also appearing in E68. 2 and 3 is the lever 317 of apparatus 21, pivoted at 319 on the left side wall 23, and book match delivery slot 321. By reference to said copending application, it will be understood that on pulling out any one of the ejectors PE or RE, lever 317 is swung clockwise on pivot 319 as viewed in FIG. 2 from the retracted position in which it appears in FIG. 2 to the position in which it appears in MG. 3 by a stud 143 movable in an arcuate slot in the left side wall 23, and, on return of the ejector, lever 317 swings back down to its FIG. 2 retracted position under the bias of a spring 147. Stud 143 extends into an arcuate slot 323 in lever 317 (which is constituted by a generally triangular plate), and spring 147 is a tension spring interconnected between a stud s25 on the left side wall and the stud 14 3. Lever 317 carries a pin 327 for operating the book match dispenser D, as will be made clear. This pin extends laterally outward from the lever. Book matches dispensed by dispenser D pass through slot 32.1 and on the inclined panel 231 of the cigarette vending machine, and slide down this panel to the pan 123 of the cigarette vending machine.

Secured on the outside of side wall 23 is a horizontal rail 31 which carries a series of rollers 33. The book match dispenser D comprises a horizontal bottom channel 35' adapted to roll on to and off of these rollers. Secured on channel 35 is a generally U-shaped supporting bracket designated in its entirety by the reference character 37, and having a base plate 39 secured on top of channel 35 and front and rear supporting legs 41 and 43 extending upward at the front and rear end of base plate 39. Braces for legs 41 and 43 are indicated at 41a and 43a. Legs 41 and 43 are angled somewhat off vertical as appear in FIG. 2, and have vertical upper end portions 41b and 43b which receive between them the lower end of a book match column assembly designated in its entirety by reference character 45. This assembly 45, as shown, comprises four book magazines, each designated by the reference character M, each comprising a sheet metal channel member having a web 47, side walls 49, and inturned flanges. 51 on the side walls at the open side of the channel member. The four channel members are positioned side-by-side, being held in assembly by straps such as indicated at 53 and 55 (see FIG. 1) extending across the outside of the webs 47 of the channel members, and by a strap 57 (see FIGS. 2, 4 and 9) extending across the inturned flanges 51 of the channel members adjacent the lower ends of these flanges. The webs 47 and the flanges 51 terminate short of the lower ends of the magazine, and the side walls 49 of each magazine have inturned flanges 59 at their lower ends for supporting a stack of book matches in the magazine. Spring fingers 60 extend down from strap 57 defining openings for discharge of the lowermost book of matches in each stack.

The outside side walls 49 of the two outside magazines are secured to vertical portions 41b and 43b of legs 41 and 43 of bracket 37 as by spot welding. The lower ends of the magazines are successively higher from front to rear as appears in FIG. 2, and are located well above the horizontal plate 39 on channel 35. With the latter slid onto rollers 33, the entire book match dispenser D is positioned vertically on the outside of side wall 23, with the webs 47 of the magazine channel members on the outside, and the sides of these channel members having the inturned flanges 51 facing toward side wall 23. Strap 55 has a rearward extension 61 (see FIG. beant inward toward the side wall 23 carrying a clip 63 slidably engaging a rail 65 on side wall 23. Side wall 23, toward its upper end, carries a clip 67 (see FIGS. 1 and 5) which receives the rear of the magazine assembly 45. In positioning dispenser D on the outside of side wall 23, channel 35 is slid rearward on rollers 33, and clip 63 is slid rearward on rail 65 to the point where the rear of assembly 45 engages in clip 67 (see FIG. 5). This determines the proper position of disepnser D on the side wall 23, and clips 63 and 67 keep the dispenser from tilting. Suitable releasable latch means such as indicated at 69 may be provided for latching channel 35 in rearward position on rollers 33 to keep the dispenser D from sliding forward.

An ejector shaft 71 extends between legs 41 and 43 of bracket 37. This shaft is of square cross section with cylindrical end portions journalled in legs 41 and 43 of bracket 37 It is inclined upward from front to rear and is located immediately below the lower ends of the four book match magazines M. It carries four book match pushers each designated 73, one for each magazine M. Each successive book match pusher is angularly oflset 90 from the preceding pusher as will appear from FIGS. 2 and 9, the arrangement being such that on indexing of shaft 71 through successive 90 intervals, pushers 73 operate successively to eject book matches from successive magazines. Thus, each pusher acts, once each revolution of shaft 71, to push the lowermost book of matches of the stack in the respective book match magazine M off the magazine bottom flanges 59 in the direction toward side wall 23, and through the slot 321 and on to the panel 231, and the book slides down panel 231 to delivery position in the pan 123.

Fixed on the rearward end of ejector shaft 71 is an indexing member or ratchet 75 having four rearwardly projecting pins 77 spaced at 90 intervals. Rotary on the rearward end of shaft 71 (rearward of indexing member or ratchet 75) is a drive member 79 carrying a drive pawl 81 engageable with pins 77 of the indexing member. Pawl 81 is pivoted on a stud 83 on the inside of drive member 79, and is biased toward pin-engaging position by a spring 85. The swing of pawl 81 under the bias of spring 85 is limited by engagement of a pin 87 on the pawl with the edge of the drive member. A holding pawl 89 for the indexing member is pivoted at 91 on leg 43 of bracket 37, and is biased toward the indexing member by a torsion spring 93. The swing of the holding pawl under the bias of spring 93 is limited by engagement of the holding pawl with a stop 95 on leg 43.

An arm 97 is pivoted at 99 on leg 43 above the indexing member 75 and drive member 79. A coil tension spring 101 is connected between a pin 103 on the arm and a pin 105 on the drive member 79 to provide a yieldable connection between arm 97 and the drive member. A coil tension spring 107 is connected to the pin 105 on the drive member 79 and to the bottom channel 35 as indicated at 109. Spring 107 biases the drive member 79 to the reextends into this slot.

tracted position in which it appears in FIG. 6, which is determined by engagement of arm 97 with a stop 111 struck out from leg 43 of bracket 37. Arm 97 carries a roller 115 engageable by the pin 327 on lever 317, the arrangement being such that when lever 317 swings clockwise as viewed in FIG. 2 away from retracted position, arm 97 is swung upward (compare FIGS. 6 and 8) and is then adapted to act via the spring or yieldable connection 101 to rotate the drive member 79 counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 6 against the return bias of spring 107. Spring 101 is stiff enough for this purpose, but adapted to yield in the event of jamming.

A bell crank lever 117 is pivoted at 119 on the outside of side wall 23. This has a rearwardly extending long arm 121 and a forwardly extending short arm 122. A control bar 125 is pin-connected at its lower end as indicated at 127 to the rearward end of arm 121 of lever 117 and extends upward through a slot 129 in a guide 131 secured on the outside of side wall 23. At its upper end, bar 125 has a laterally projecting arm 133 provided with an inclined slot 135. The drive member 79 has an outwardly projecting stud 137, aligned with stud 83, which Stud 137 has a collar 139 backing the arm 133. A spring 141 biases bar 125 to move up ward and tilt forward against the forward end of slot 129 (which is longer than the width of bar 125).

At 153 is generally indicated a book match feeler, adapted to detect the accumulation of a number of books of matches on the pan of the vending machine. This feeler, as shown, is constituted by a length of stiff wire bent to have an intermediate portion 155, which is journalled for rotation on a horizontal axis in a hole 157 in the side wall 23 toward the front of the side wall, a feeler arm 159 angled rearward and downward from portion on the inside of the side wall 23 above the pan 123, and a crank 161 on the outside of side wall 23. A link 163 interconnects crank 161 and the short arm 122 of hell crank lever 117. Spring 141 acts via bar 125 to bias bell crank lever 117 to rotate clockwise as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3, thereby tending to push link 163 forward, and acting via feeler crank 161 to tend to swing feeler arm 159 downward to a retracted position wherein the rearward end of the feeler arm is contiguous to the uppersurface of the pan 123 (see (FIG. 2).

Operation is as follows:

Assuming there is no accumulation of books of matches in the pan 123 of the vending machine, on operation of any one of the ejectors FE or RE of the cigarette vending machine to vend a pack of cigarettes, book match dispenser D is actuated to dispense a book of matches. The operation of pulling out any one of ejectors FE or RE results in clockwise swing of lever 317 from its FIG. 2 retracted position to its FIG. 3 raised position. On such clockwise swing of lever 317, pin 327 thereon lifts arm 97. Ann 97 acts through spring 101 (which is sufficiently stiff to function as a connecting link) to rotate drive member 79 in counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 6 away from its FIG. 6 retracted position against the return bias of spring 107. Drive pawl 81 on the drive member 79, in engagement with one of the four pins 77 on indexing member 75, acts to rotate the indexing member in counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 6 away from the FIG. 6 position. FIG. 8 shows the drive member 79 and indexing member 75 about to complete a quarter-revolution counterclockwise from the FIG. 6 position. Upon completion of a quarter-revolution, holding pawl 89 swings in under a pin 77 on the indexing member 75 to hold the latter from rotating backward (clockwise). Then, on return of the ejector FE or RE, as the case may be, lever 317 swings counterclockwise back to its FIG. 2 retracted position under the return bias of spring 147, and arm 97 is released to swing downward back to its FIG. 6 position. Spring 107 then acts to rotate drive member 79 clockwise back to its FIG. 6 retracted position (without rotating indexing member 75 backward since it is held by holding pawl 89). The drive pawl 81 clicks back over the next pin 77 on indexing member 75 into position for the next cycle. Upon the stated quarter-revolution of indexing member 75, shaft 71 is rotated counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 9 a quarter revolution, and one of the pushers 73 on the shaft 71 pushes the lowermost book of matches of the stack in the respective magazine M off the bottom flanges 59 of that magazine, through the slot 321 and on to the inclined panel 231. The book slides down panel 231 into the pan 123 at the left end of the pan.

Upon pull-out of any one of ejectors FE or RE, and resultant clockwise swing of lever 317 to rotate drive member 79 counterclockwise from its FIG. 6 retracted position, stud 137 on the drive member 79 pushes control bar 125 downward. This results in counterclockwise rotation of bell crank lever 117 to drag link 163 rearward, thereby to swing the feeler arm 159 upward (see FIG. 3). This permits an ejected book of matches to slide down to the front of pan 123. Then, on return of the ejector FE or RE, and the resultant return of the drive member 79 back to its retracted position, feeler arm 159 swings back downward, and control bar 125 moves back upward to its fully retracted FIG. 6 position.

If a number of books B of matches should accumulate in the pan 123, a book will ultimately block feeler arm 159 from swinging back down to its fully lowered position. As illustrated in FIG. 4, three books B have accumulated in the pan, and the third book is in position blocking the feeler arm 159 from swinging down to its fully lowered poistion. Here it will be understood that on ejection of the third book, feeler arm 159 will have been raised as above described, permitting the third book to slide under the rearward end of the arm. Then, when the feeler arm swings back down as the vend cycle is completed, the third book blocks the feeler arm from swinging lown to its fully lowered position. Under these circumstances, control bar 125 is blocked from moving fully upward, being arrested in a position below its FIG. 6 fully retracted position. Control bar 125 thereupon prevents drive member 79 from rotating all the way back to its FIG. 6 retracted position (by reason of engagement of stud 137 on drive member 79 in slot 135 in arm 133 of the control bar), and drive pawl 81 is thereby prevented from clicking back over the next pin 77 on indexing member 75. Accordingly, on any succeeding operation of any ejector FE or RE, drive member 79 and pawl 81 thereon simply idle as regards indexing member or ratchet 75 without imparting any rotation to the latter. While pawl 81 then slides over the next pin 77, there is sufiicient resistance to rotation of shaft 71 to prevent the latter from rotating on account of the drag of the pawl 81 on the pin, Thus, in response to accumulation of a number of books B of matches in the pan 123 (accumulation of three being illustrated herein) as detected by feeler arm 159, operation of the shaft 71 of the book match dispenser D is discontinued, and no further books are dispensed on subsequent operations of ejectors PE or RE until the accumulation is cleared. This would occur, for example, simply by removal of the first book in the pan, or both the first and the second book, the third book then being released to slide down upon the next operation of an ejector FE or RE with resultant raising of feeler arm 159. Upon clearing of the accumulation, feeler arm 159 is free to move down to its fully lowered position, enabling control bar 125 to move upward to its FIG. 6 fully retracted position, and thereby enabling the drive pawl 81 to click back over the next pin 77 for resumption of book match dispensing. It will be apparent that continued operation of ejectors FE and RE is permitted even though feeler arm 159 is blocked by an accumulation since lever 317 is still free to operate.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the inven tion, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cigarette machine having pull-out rods for vending packs of cigarettes, the packs being delivered to a pan, means for holding a supply of book matches, an ejector for ejecting a book of matches from said supply, the book being delivered to the pan, means for operating the ejector, means for actuating said ejector operating means upon operation of any rod, a feeler for detecting accumulation of book matches in the pan, and a control for said ejector operating means interconnected with the feeler adapted to move the feeler away from the pan and back toward the pan on operation of said ejector operating means, said feeler being blocked from full movement toward the pan by engagement with an accumulated book in the pan and said control thereupon acting to hold said ejector operating means out of operation while permitting continued operation of said pull-out rods.

2. In a cigarette machine having pull-out rods for vending packs of cigarettes, the packs being delivered to a pan, means for holding a supply of book matches, an ejector rotatable in steps adapted to eject a book of matches from the supply upon rotation through each step, the book being delivered to the pan, indexing means for said ejector, means for normally actuating said indexing means upon rotation of any rod, a feeler for detecting accumulation of book matches in the pan, and a control for said indexing means interconnected with the feeler adapted to move the feeler away from the pan and back toward the pan on operation of said indexing means, said feeler being blocked from full movement toward the pan by an accumulated book in the pan and said control thereupon acting to hold said indexing means out of operation while permitting continued operation of said pull-out rods.

3. In a cigarette machine as set forth in claim 2, said supply-holding means comprising a plurality of magazines each adapted to hold a stack of book matches, said ejector comprising a shaft carrying pushers for pushing the lowermost book from successive magazines on indexing of the shaft, and said indexing means comprising a ratchet on the shaft, a drive member and a pawl on said drive member for driving the ratchet, said actuating means being operable on said drive member, and said control being connected to said drive member.

4. A cigarette vending machine having purchaser-operated controls for effecting vending of packs of cigarettes, a pan to which said packs are delivered, means for holding a supply of book matches, an ejector for ejecting a book of matches from said supply, means normally operable in response to operation of any one of said controls for operating the ejector to eject a book of matches from said supply means, means for delivering an ejected book of matches to a delivery position in said pan, means located adjacent said delivery position for detecting accumulation of book matches in the pan at said delivery position, and means interconnected with said detecting means and operable in response to detection by said detecting means of accumulation of book matches in the pan at said delivery position for holding said ejector operating means out of operation while permitting continued operation of any of said controls to vend packs of cigarettes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,284,319 Grover Nov. 12, 1918 1,650,278 Kingsbury et a1 Nov. 22, 1927 2,254,841 Gabrielsen Sept. 2, 1941 3,007,606 Holstein et al. Nov. 7, 1961 3,074,593 Krakauer et al. Jan. 22, 1963 

1. IN A CIGARETTE MACHINE HAVING PULL-OUT RODS FOR VENDING PACKS OF CIGARETTES, THE PACKS BEING DELIVERED TO A PAN, MEANS FOR HOLDING A SUPPLY OF BOOK MATCHES, AN EJECTOR FOR EJECTING A BOOK OF MATCHES FROM SAID SUPPLY, THE BOOK BEING DELIVERED TO THE PAN, MEANS FOR OPERATING THE EJECTOR, MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID EJECTOR OPERATING MEANS UPON OPERATION OF ANY ROD, A FEELER FOR DETECTING ACCUMULATION OF BOOK MATCHES IN THE PAN, AND A CONTROL FOR SAID EJECTOR OPERATING MEANS INTERCONNECTED WITH THE FEELER ADAPTED TO MOVE THE FEELER AWAY FROM THE PAN AND BACK TOWARD THE PAN ON OPERATION OF SAID EJECTOR OPERATING MEANS, SAID FEELER BEING BLOCKED FROM FULL MOVEMENT TOWARD THE PAN BY ENGAGEMENT WITH AN ACCUMULATED BOOK IN THE PAN AND SAID CONTROL THEREUPON ACTING TO HOLD SAID EJECTOR OPERATING MEANS OUT OF OPERATION WHILE PERMITTING CONTINUED OPERATION OF SAID PULL-OUT RODS. 